(ideas.work. ) After a slow start, Aftercar is finally underway. Phase One will open by February as a social house and shared workspace. Ryan Gravel, original visionary behind the Atlanta Beltline and board chair of Aftercar’s sister nonprofit Generator, has reimagined the basement of the Telephone Factory as a venue for dialogue about the future of cities. “Aftercar,” with its mesmerizing view of the Beltline’s Eastside Trail, will create a sustainable revenue stream for Generator’s work through fees for its memberships, meet-ups, and event spaces.

Generator is contributing to Aftercar’s buildout because even in the best of times, fundraising for nonprofits is a challenge. As a co-founder, Generator will receive a financial return from Aftercar’s success, which will be used to fund a small staff. By investing in this way, every dollar Generator raises for Aftercar’s buildout will be multiplied four to ten times over the next ten years.

Before construction is finished, we have an opportunity to increase Generator’s percentage in the partnership. Soaring construction costs have strained our budget for the furnishings and equipment needed to properly utilize the space. If we raise a little more money for tables, chairs, video monitors, and lighting, the space will be more marketable and Generator will receive more revenue over time to fund its work.

Our goal is $30,000. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Generator:

• Paypal: @generatorcity
• Cashapp: $generatorcity
• Venmo: @generatorcity (will say “Heather Infantry”)
• Contact Ryan: ryan@sixpitch.com
• Snailmail: Generator, 828 Ralph McGill Boulevard NE, Suite L1, Atlanta, Georgia 30306

Beyond donating, you can also support Generator by becoming a member of Aftercar or renting a space for events. Follow our construction progress on Instagram @aftercarbar and thank you for your support! >> Ryan Gravel

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Read more >> “Beyond the BeltLine: Ryan Gravel’s new Aftercar space will jumpstart conversations about the city’s future.”

THANK YOU! Generator would like to express its many thanks to dozens of people and organizations that have already supported us, including The Kendeda Fund, MailChimp, Arun and Jen Singh, Joni and Troy Deus, View Inc., and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

Generator’s mission is to bring people together to generate and support ideas that shape the future of cities. We know it requires more than a single person or idea to create lasting change—it takes a movement. When we come together to listen, learn, and collaborate, we open the door to unexpected connections, resources, and our own power to catalyze ideas into action. At Generator, we believe we can build a world where everyday people, armed with ideas and ready for action, can create real and lasting change for their communities and for the world. Generator is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Aftercar is a 10,000 sf space in the basement of the Telephone Factory Lofts. Our Phase One scope includes new restrooms, air conditioning, other systems, furnishings, and a modest cosmetic upgrade. In January, we’ll open to weekday memberships for shared workspace, meeting rooms available by the hour, popups in the main hall, and weekend events. Future phases will include a ramp to the street, exterior spaces, and an on-site bar or restaurant.

Ryan Gravel’s graduate school thesis was a pipedream that nobody was asking for. Today, after twenty years of grassroots organizing and vocal advocacy, the Atlanta Beltline has generated over $6 billion in private investment and all kinds of value in our lives. And while challenges remain, the best solutions will come from people with fresh ideas about the future of the city. Ryan founded Generator to support those ideas and amplify generators whose voices are often not heard. This work is important, and it is also difficult to fund. That’s why Ryan and Karen Gravel, alongside Generator, have made such a substantial financial investment in Aftercar. It will fund the work required to inspire the kind of future we want.